I first encountered Lindsay Matteson at the East Village bitters bar Amor y Amargo, where she worked alongside Sother Teague making various bitter and stirred cocktails. I first interviewed Matteson when I wrote about the growing trend of “thrown” cocktails for Food and Wine magazine. Matteson was one of the first people to throw cocktails in New York, or the United States for that matter. Now, of course, it’s a nationwide trend.
Matteson left New York for Seattle, where she has made her mark at another bitters bar, Barnacle. When I booked a book-tour appearance at the culinary book store Book Larder a few months ago, I knew I’d have to swing by Barnacle and check out Lindsay’s work there. But when I saw on Matteson’s Instagram page that she was moving to Louisville with her fiancé, I figured I had better hurry!
Turns out my timing was just right. Matteson’s last shift at Barnacle is Friday, Oct. 20. (Today!) I managed to pay a call right when the bar opened on Thursday, Oct. 19. (Yesterday!)